For The Win
by megalooch1
Summary: A short story about what would happen if Jane Rizzoli let the outcome of the World Series decide matters of the heart.


**A/N: I woke up this morning with the knowledge that the Boston Red Sox won the World Series and this was born of that. It's just a fun little one-shot. (Takes place in a universe where Casey never proposed.) I love me some reviews! Same disclaimer as always: I do not own anything having to do with the book or tv show, especially the characters. **

It all started as a silly bet a little over seven months ago. Except this bet didn't take place between herself and another person, it was a one woman bet that slowly became a promise. If the Boston Red Sox won the World Series Detective Jane Rizzoli would tell her best friend, Dr. Maura Isles, that she was in love with her. The kind of love that made people do silly things and spend too many of their few dollars on overpriced cards to help express their feelings on insignificant days. The kind of love that made a pair into a team that developed into partners. It was the kind of deep rooted adoration that blinded someone to the other's faults and made everything about them beautiful. That was Maura to Jane: Everything beautiful.

That was seven long months ago when the words didn't seem as serious as they did now. Jane made a promise to herself, a bet she knew she'd have to collect on. Throughout the season she watched and calculated as her team collected win after win, pride swelled in the shadow of fear. Once the post-season rolled around her palms grew sweaty with each inning that progressed without a hit from the opposing team. Home-runs brought a smile to her face and put an extra thud within her heart. Once the Sox were officially one of two participants in the final series, Jane didn't know whether to rejoice or retreat. It was touch-go for five long games. Intense gameplay distracted the detective until the final scores started to taunt her.

Game six found the brunette standing in the middle of her best friend's living room. Large screen flashing on the wall with an almost mocking array of colors. Friends and family danced around her in celebration as the top of the ninth inning drew to a close, locking the Boston Red Sox in as the champions of the 2013 season. The Cardinals were destroyed by the Sox who won six to one. It was unreal. It felt as if everything around the tall woman moved in slow motion. Her brothers embraced and jumped up and down like the children they once were. Her fellow detectives howled into the air and gripped their beers with renewed strength. Her mother stood back and enjoyed the positive energy and happy faces as she kept an eye on beverages and small portions of food that could make their way to an expensive carpet at any time.

There was so much ruckus going on around Jane, but she was only aware of one thing: the object of her affection standing beside her. The blonde wore the jersey she had received for her birthday magnificently, matching the detective's own. Her designer jeans hugged every curve in a way that made Jane's brain stop working and her heart kick into over drive. But the one thing that stood out most about the doctor's outfit, the one thing that gave Jane the courage to follow through with her solitary bet, was the pair of fuzzy red socks Maura bought just for the occasion. It was little things like that which made Jane's heart beat only to the tune of Maura.

Of course Maura Isles always stood beside her, except this time she was holding onto a delicate hand with a grip that could easily stop much needed circulation.

"Jane?" Maura turned to her friend.

"Yeah." Brown eyes never left the screen before her.

"Are you ok?" The blonde thought it was unusual for Jane to be so quiet during such a monumental occasion.

"We won." Those were the only words to leave the detective's mouth.

"Yes. We did. And you don't seem too happy about it." Maura turned her body in order to better analyze her best friend's behavior. If she were one for guessing, this would be the time Dr. Isles would guess Detective Rizzoli was nervous or possibly even scared of something.

"I am. I'm happy." Tiny tears started to well up in the taller woman's eyes.

"Jane! Are you crying?" Maura pushed at Jane's strong bicep and lead her to a more private area of her home. As they made their way to the guest bedroom, the ME overheard Jane mumbling.

"It was a win/win. Or a lose/lose. Oh God, what of it's a win/lose?" The dazed expression the brunette wore did nothing to calm a worried Maura.

"Jane, look at me." Jane did as the doctor ordered. "What are you going on about?"

_Now or never, I guess._ Jane thought to herself as she hunched a bit and cleared her throat. "At the beginning of the season I made a promise to myself." It was then, when her gaze dropped, that she noticed how closely they were standing. Maura stood before her, red fuzzy toes no more than an inch from her bare ones. Jane smiled to herself and returned her eyes to the gentle hazel ones that gave her their full attention.

"I made a promise to myself that I would do something I have been terrified to do for YEARS if the Red Sox won. Now, since my boys pulled through, I have to face that fear."

Maura smiled brightly at this new information, but furrowed her brow when she couldn't think of one thing that fear ever kept Jane Rizzoli from accomplishing. Try as she might, her big brain couldn't put the pieces of the puzzle together on their own. Fortunately, Jane found the sight of a stumped Maura Isles just as adorable as a serious Maura Isles, or a childish Maura Isles, or any Maura Isles. The blonde noticed Jane staring at her with a small smirk pulling at her lips.

"Well? Are you going to tell me what fear you'll be facing or do you expect me to guess? Because you know full well that I will not be guessing."

"My fear of losing you." Jane just blurted the words out before anything could get in the way. She knew her mother would be looking for them soon or her brother's would want something else to eat. Their time alone together was ticking away and the longer she waiting the more likely it was that the fear would win.

"What?" Maura stepped back and looked up at Jane with confusion and something that looked akin to hurt. "Why would you have to face that fear? I don't understand, did I do something?" The doctor was out of sorts with anxiety and looked as if she were ready to run, but she was held in place by two strong hands on her shoulders.

"No, you didn't. But I'm about to do something that could change things between us forever." Jane stepped forward and closed the distance between their bodies. For once their outfits matched but their height difference was even more pronounced by their barefooted stance. Warm brown eyes scanned the face before them, searching for any sign of discomfort. All they saw was beauty and innocence mixed with the confusion that remained. When her hands moved from toned shoulders up a smooth neck to rosy cheeks, Jane watched as golden green eyes flashed wide for a split second before realization set in.

Maura knew exactly what was about to happen and didn't move a muscle. Jane looked from eyes to lips and back up again. Subconsciously the tip of her tongue peaked out to moisten her suddenly dry mouth in preparation for the moment she had dared to dream of for years. Another small step forward brought their bodies flush together. It must've been a pleasant move for Maura because her small, feminine hands came up to grab the sides of the detective. Jane hesitated for a moment, the feeling of those hands holding on in an effort to hold steady was almost too much already. How would she survive kissing this woman? She pressed on; Her dark head lowered slowly, millimeter by millimeter until she could smell the sweet remnants of wine on the shorter woman's breath. Jane closed her eyes and the distance as well.

At the first touch of lips on lips Jane instinctually tangled her finger in caramel waves, bringing their lips together with more force. It started as a tender exploration, one meant to get to know one another. The smooth planes of the softest skin, the taste that few ever got to relish, and the sounds that were made when someone needed more. Maura was the first to pull back.

"Wait." She placed her hands flat on Jane's chest, forcing distance between them.

The tall brunette took a step back and dropped her eyes to the floor. She looked like a wounded child or at least one that was in big trouble. All the possibilities started to run through her mind...and they kept coming back to one thought:_ Win. Lose._

"I need you to explain this to me, Jane." Maura may be brilliant. She may be a doctor whose brain was (figuratively) bursting with knowledge, but she could be a little dumb when it came to people. Especially Jane.

"I've been struggling," the normally brave woman took a breath, "with the feelings I have for you. Have had for you. For a long time. And still." Her sentences were coming in short pieces. "Dammit!" She slammed her eyes shut and wiped her face with her hands before running her fingers through her unruly hair.

Maura wanted to laugh. She wanted to laugh so badly but she knew that once she started the detective would stop. So, she let the poor woman continue lash out in order to keep from drowning in her own inarticulate, poorly constructed half sentences.

"I thought this would be easy! I had seven months to figure out what I was gonna say or do!" Jane flexed her fists at her side.

"Jane?" Maura risked advancing towards the wild animal.

"What?" The single word dripped with frustration, her husky voice louder than it should have been.

"What would you have done if they had lost?"

"Waited until next season?" Jane looked up through her dark curls sheepishly.

"Jane Rizzoli!" Maura was shocked at everything she was hearing. Not only did her best friend have feelings for her, the same best friend she herself had been pining after for years, but that stubborn woman was willing to let it all ride on the outcome of a sports team.

"What did you expect, Maur? I needed a sign or something to give me the push I needed. I couldn't just walk up to you and tell you how I felt!"

Maura stepped forward, breaking through the thick air of frustration and looked deep into chocolate brown pools of apprehension and surprise.

"I don't care about the game. Honestly, I barely paid attention to most of it because I was too busy watching you." She brought a hand up to a chiseled cheek. "I watched as you calculated and examined, embraced and determined every move and strategy of the men on that field. I loved every minute of it. I don't care if your team won or lost; here I am, standing in front of you and telling you that I'm in love with you." Maura traced her thumb along Jane's lower lip.

The detective got herself into this situation, she dared to imagine her feelings being returned, but that didn't keep the shocked look from appearing in her face.

"You are?" Jane's voice was barely above a whisper. Her vocal cords being constricted by awe.

"Yes." The doctor was matter-of-fact.

"Why didn't you ever say anything?"

"I wasn't willing to risk our friendship over a hypothesis. I thought you had feelings for me but I didn't have enough evidence to make it conclusive." Maura's scientific explanation was ended by the feel of Jane's long arms wrapping around her thin waist. The weight of scarred hands came to rest on the curve of her backside.

"Do you still need more evidence?" The taller woman started to lean in, allowing their suddenly rapid breaths to mingle.

"One can never be too thorough." The ME tilted her head slightly, waiting patiently for another delicious kiss, a kiss that would easily become addicting.

"Jane Clementine Rizzoli, where did you disappear to!?" Angela's voice bellowed through the house.

Jane's head dropped back dramatically. "I'll be right out, Ma!" She shouted back. "That woman..." She was cut off by a sudden pull and the press of full lips against her own.

This kiss was far from innocent but just as heavy in exploration. At the feel of a velvety tongue sweeping across the tip of her upper lip Jane actually stumbled backwards. The only way she was able to steady herself was by filling her damaged hands with the voluptuous curves hidden beneath Maura's jeans. And as quickly as the kiss started it had ended and their bodies separated.

"Let's go." Maura swatted at Jane's backside and let her lead the way back to the boisterous group.

"We're continuing this later."

"Only if the Celtics win." Maura deadpanned.

"Seriously?" Jane just watched the Medical Examiner saunter passed with an added sway to her hips.


End file.
